GREENBELT. This week, Marilyn Mosby, a former prominent prosecutor from Baltimore, is set to be sentenced for lying about her personal finances to improperly access retirement funds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The sentencing is scheduled to begin on Thursday at a federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.
Mosby, 44, who gained national recognition for prosecuting six Baltimore police officers in connection with the 2015 death of Freddie Gray, was convicted on charges of perjury and mortgage fraud. Gray, a Black man, died from injuries sustained while in police custody, leading to widespread riots and protests in Baltimore. Although three officers were acquitted and charges against the remaining three were dropped by Mosby’s office, the case propelled her into the national spotlight.
In 2020, amidst the pandemic, Mosby withdrew $90,000 from Baltimore city’s deferred compensation plan. These funds were used as down payments for vacation homes in Kissimmee and Long Boat Key, Florida. Prosecutors argued that Mosby accessed the funds by falsely claiming that the pandemic had negatively impacted her travel-oriented side business, taking advantage of provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act.
Mosby’s defense attorneys contended that she was within her legal rights to withdraw and use the money as she saw fit. Despite this, federal prosecutors have recommended a 20-month prison sentence for Mosby, who served two terms as Baltimore’s state’s attorney and lost her re-election bid following her 2022 indictment.
“Ms. Mosby was charged and convicted because she chose to repeatedly break the law, not because of her politics or policies,” prosecutors stated in their sentencing recommendation.
Mosby’s legal team has pleaded for leniency, arguing that she should not be imprisoned. They highlighted that she is the only public official in Maryland prosecuted for federal offenses that did not involve a clear victim, financial loss, or misuse of public funds.
“Jail is not justice for Marilyn Mosby,” her lawyers wrote, emphasizing that her actions did not harm any individuals or the public treasury.
In a recent development, Mosby applied for a presidential pardon. The Congressional Black Caucus has expressed its support for her request in a letter to President Joe Biden, as reported by the Baltimore Sun.
U.S. District Judge Lydia Kay Griggsby agreed to move Mosby’s trials from Baltimore to Greenbelt. Mosby’s defense argued that due to extensive negative media coverage, she would not receive a fair trial in Baltimore.
The upcoming sentencing will mark a significant moment in a high-profile case that has captured national attention, underscoring the ongoing legal and ethical scrutiny faced by public officials.
